The Bagel A Short History of the Bagel According to legend, the world's first bagel was produced in 1783 as a tribute to Jan Sobieski, King of Poland. The king, a renowned horseman, had just saved the people of Austria from an onslaught by Turkish invaders. In gratitude, a local baker shaped yeast dough into the shape of stirrup to honor him and called it the Austrian word for stirrup, beugel. The roll soon became a hit throughout Eastern Europe. Over time, its shape evolved into a circle with a hole in the center and its named was converted to its modern form, bagel. 1683 -- According to legend the first bagels rolled into the world in 1683 when a Viennese baker wanted to pay tribute to Jan Sobieski, the King of Poland. King Jan had just saved the people of Austria from an onslaught of Turkish invaders. The King was a great horseman, and the baker decided to shape the yeast dough into an uneven circle resembling a stirrup (or 'beugal').

(Other German variations of the word are: 'beigel', meaning 'ring', and 'bugel', meaning bracelet.) 1872 -- Cream cheese is invented. In 1880, Philadelphia Cream Cheese was started, and in 1920, Breakstone Cream Cheese 1880's -- Thousands of Eastern European Jews immigrated to the United States. They brought with them a desire for bagels. Soon bagels became closely associated with New York and Chicago, both cities with large Jewish populations. 1907 -- A union just for bagel bakers is formed, the International Bakers Union, joining together 300 bakers. Only sons of union members could be apprenticed to learn the secrets of bagel baking in order to safeguard the culinary art. 1935 -- The first Bagel Boss opened, bringing high quality New York bagels to Long Island. 1960s -- Bagel production skyrocketed as machines capable of producing 200 to 400 bagels per hour were popularized. 1987 -- Bagels made their way into mainstream America, sold around the country in grocery stores and listed as standard items on fast food menus.

1988 -- Americans were eating an average of one bagel per month. 1993 -- America's consumption of bagels doubled to an average of one bagel every two weeks The history of the bagel, the familiar breakfast food that only looks like a doughnut A common breakfast among commuters, bagels stand alone as the only bread that is boiled before it is baked, providing chewiness instead of brittle crumbs. Yeast dough is shaped into rings, allowed to rise, then briefly tossed into vigorously boiling water for a few seconds. Then it is baked, where the prior boiling creates a chewy texture. Those that like a bit of gloss on the crust can brush them with sugar water, the traditional method, or egg, a more modern method abhorred by purists. The origin of the bagel is up for debate, although it seems to have early taken a foothold in Poland. The first printed mention occurs in Krakow, in 1610 in a list of community regulations that stipulate that bagels are to be given to pregnant women. (Interestingly, given the bagel's association as a 'Jewish' food, there is no mention of religion in this regulation-apparently Christian women ate bagels as well).

Others support the theory that an Austrian baker created a stirrup (or 'beugal') made out of dough to give to the King of Poland in 1683, in thanks for his help in defeating the Turks, and in honor of his great horsemanship. (Other German variations of the word are: 'beigel', meaning 'ring', and 'bugel', meaning bracelet.) Despite being popular in Europe among the Jewish residents, it is in America that the bagel becomes widely popular, especially in Chicago and New York. The next bagel breakthrough came in 1872, with the making of cream cheese. In 1880, Philadelphia Cream Cheese was started, and in 1920, Breakstone Cream Cheese. In 1907, a union just for bagel bakers is formed, the International Bakers Union, joining together 300 bakers. Despite New York City's claims for having the best bagels, residents of Montreal would disagree, citing their wood-fired ovens and honey flavored boiling water makes for a superior product. Polish émigré Harry Lender opens up Lender's Beigel Bakery in 1927 in West Haven, Connecticut.

His primary customers are Jewish delicatessens in New York. His sons, Murray and Marvin take over the business as adults, and specialize in the flash-frozen bagel, allowing Americans nationwide to enjoy this previously ethnic and urban food. In 1984, having grown to 600 employees, they will be bought out by Kraft. H. Lender and Sons restaurants in Connecticut now receive the benefit of the true Lender's bagel. As the bread has spread across the nation, so have variations. Where once they were served plain, or in such traditions flavors as pumpernickel, onion, or sesame seed, they are now available as apple, blueberry, spinach, the very non-kosher ham and cheese, or the incomprehensible 'everything'. Why have they become so popular? Ease of eating, a greater degree of portability than toast, and a more satisfying chew than ordinary sandwich bread. Plain, they offer a non-sweet alternative to doughnuts (man, was I disappointed in my first bagel-what a terrible doughnut!) Their heartiness makes them more filling than a croissant, and without any type of topping (i.e.

cream cheese, butter, or jelly), they are a reasonable 200 calories. A North American Debut When the Eastern European Jewish immigrants arrived in North America at the turn of the century, they brought the bagel with them. Many settled in Canada, giving cities like Toronto and Montreal their reputation for having superb bagels. The American bagel industry established formal roots in New York between 1910 and 1915 with the formation of Bagel Bakers Local #338. This exclusive group of 300 craftsmen with "bagels in their blood" limited its members to sons of its members. At the time, it was probably easier to get into medical school than to get an apprenticeship in one of the 36 union bagel shops in New York City and New Jersey. Professional bagel baking required know-how and backbreaking labor. Bagel makers' sons apprenticed for months to learn the trade. Men were paid by the piece and usually worked in teams of four. Two made the bagels, one baked, and a "kettleman" was in charge of boiling the bagels. The men earned 19 cents a box, and each box typically contained 64 bagels.

It was not unusual for a team to make a hundred boxes a night. With the rising of the yeast in countless bakeries, the popularity of the bagel rose far beyond the boundaries of ethnic neighborhoods. In the late 1950's and 1960's, bakers from New York and New Jersey began moving to other parts of the country. One such veteran who opened a bagel bakery in a suburb of Washington, D.C., in 1966, remembers his skeptical landlord nervously questioning, "Who's gonna spend seven cents for one of those things?" Prepackaged bagels first became available in grocery stores in the 1950's. With the introduction of frozen bagels in the 1960's, consumers had access to bagels even if they didn't live near a bagel bakery. Bagel-making machines, a boon to commercial bakers, were also introduced in the early 1960's. The machines form bagels by extruding the dough through the ring shape. Inventor Dan Thompson says, "I was born to invent a bagel machine.

My father was thinking about a bagel-making machine when I was conceived." That may not be far from the truth, because Dan's father had a wholesale bakery in Winnipeg, Canada, and was already working on a bagel-making machine back in 1926. But it was far too complicated, too slow, and too costly to manufacture and wasn't commercially feasible. There were as many as fifty unsuccessful attempts to produce a bagel-making machine in the early twentieth century. The Thompson Bagel Machine Corporation developed the first viable model, despite "doubting Thompsons" who insisted that no machine would ever replace the human hand in forming bagels. Most of the early machines were leased by bakers who paid by the dozen on the time meter. Now most are purchased. Popular with "Mom and Pop" bagel bakeries is the single-bank Thompson model with a dough divider that forms 175 dozen (2,100) bagels an hour. Large-scale production companies use multiples of the double-bank machine, each of which produces 400 dozen (4,800) bagels hourly.

ï¿½ The Father of the Bagel was probably an unknown Viennese baker, who wanted to pay tribute to the King of Poland. In 1683, King Jan had just saved the people of Austria from an onslaught of Turkish invaders. As the King was an avid and accomplished horseman, the baker decided to shape the yeast dough into an uneven circle resembling a stirrup. Purists tend to favour this theory for two reasons. First, the traditional hand-rolled bagel remains less than perfect in shape. Instead of the symmetry of a doughnut, good bagels skew into a "stirrup-like" shape. Second, the Austrian word for "stirrup" is beugel. The Canadian history of the bagel is much clearer. When Vincenzo Piazza brought the "Montreal-style" bagel to Ottawa in 1984, he was the first to have a wood-burning oven and hand-rolled bagels. It takes a roller over three months of training to reach the necessary speed of rolling 40 bagels every three minutes.

Over the years, the "traditional" bagel flavours, sesame seed, poppy seed, and plain, have been joined by almost a dozen other varieties, from cinnamon and raisin to Muesli. But the essence of the bagel remains the same, and fresh, hot bagels have become a daily staple for thousands of people in the Ottawa region. What is a bagel? Well, it's essentially a bread roll with a hole in it. However, it's the texture that makes it distinct. The outside is usually brown and slightly crispy. Once you bite inside, it's usually dense, chewy and doughy. These bready bites come in a variety of flavours and are often topped with seeds baked onto the outer crust. Legend has it that the bagel originated in Vienna , Austria . The story goes that in 1683 a (probably) Jewish baker wanted to thank the king of Poland for protecting his countrymen from Turkish invaders and celebrate victory in the Battle of Vienna. In order to do this he made a special bread roll in the shape of a riding stirrup, known as a 'Steigbügel' in German. However, another theory is that the bagel originated in Krakow Poland sometime earlier.

There are historical references to women being given 'beygls' as a gift during childbirth. Bagels are still used by mothers as teething rings today. The bagels popularity in Eastern Europe spread and eventually these bread rolls made their way to Russia where they were sold on strings and viewed as a symbol of good luck. At the turn of the 20th century,Eastern Europe immigrants began pouring into North America and with them brought their recipes for bagels. Many settled in Canada and in 1919 Isabel Shlafman opened the first bagel bakery in Montreal in a lane just of the street which was at that time known as 'The Main'. Today this street is Saint-Lawrence Boulevard. The bagels were rolled by hand and baked in a wood-fired oven, as they still are today in the bakery's present location on which lent the bakery its name. The Original Fairmount Bakery officially opened for business in this spot in 1949 in what was a converted cottage housing the family above the shop. The family still runs the business today. The bakery is open 24 hours and seven days a week.

There are often queues out the door as customers line up to purchase the fresh bagel in flavours as diverse as sun-dried tomato and chocolate chip. Also on sale is a selection of accompaniments such as smoked salmon, tzaziki and cream cheese. Bagelicious! Bagels for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in Montreal, Canada The History of Bagels 1880s -- Hundreds of thousands of Eastern European Jews emigrated to America, bringing with them a love for bagels. New York City vendors used the bagel's hole-in-the-middle shape to their merchandising advantage by threading them onto dowels and selling them on street corners throughout the city. 1907 -- The International Bagel Bakers Union was founded in New York City. Only sons of union members could be apprenticed to learn the secrets of bagel baking in order to safeguard the culinary art. 1927 -- Polish baker Harry Lender opened the first bagel plant outside New York City in New Haven, Conn. The bagel's popularity began to spread in the United States.

1960s -- Bagel production skyrocketed as machines capable of producing 200 to 400 bagels per hour were popularized and the tradition of hand-forming bagels virtually vanished. 1987 -- Bagels made their way into mainstream America, sold around the country in grocery stores and listed as standard items on fast food menus. 1988 -- Americans were eating an average of one bagel per month. 1993 -- American bagel consumption doubled to an average of one bagel every two weeks. 1997 -- Schnucks' Nancy Anne Bakery introduced 17 bagels reformulated to match the special tastes and texture desires of Midwesterners, along with six cream cheese spreads, four types of bagel melts and eight bagel sandwiches. Q: Why do Bagels have a hole in the middle? A:The hole in the center of the bagel ensures that it bakes and boils evenly. Because its dough is fairly dense, the hole in the center allows for water and heat to circulate around the most surface area.

Other Interesting Bagel Facts Culinary Dictionary - B, Food Dictionary, Whats Cooking America Culinary Dictionary Linda’s Culinary Dictionary – B A Dictionary of Cooking, Food, and Beverage Terms An outstanding and large culinary dictionary and glossary that includes the definitions and history of cooking, food, and beverage terms. Please click on a letter below to alphabetically search the many food and cooking terms: baba (BAH-bah) – Baba is called babka in Poland and Babas Au Rhum in France. In French, the word baba meaning, “falling over or dizzy.” These are small cakes made from yeast dough containing raisins or currants. They are baked in cylindrical molds and then soaked with sugar syrup usually flavored with rum (originally they were soaked in a sweet fortified wine). After these cakes were soaked in the wine sauce for a day, the dried fruits would fall out of them. Baba Au Rhum – In the 18th century, French chef, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826),created a cake that he served with a rum sauce that he called Baba Au Savarin.

The dessert became very popular in France, but the people called it Baba Au Rhum and soon dropped the name Savarin. History: For a history of Baba and Baba Au Rhum, check out Linda Stradley’s History of Cakes . bacon – Bacon comes from the fatty parts of the pig, especially the sides. The most desirable bacon is cut from the breast of the hog. It is cured with either sugar or salt, which gives it a sweet or salty taste. History: Bacon has played a prominent role in the history of superstition. It was considered a sacred food by the pagans and was regarded as a symbol of prosperity. It was frequently used as an offering to the Gods, and was believed to have curative properties. If a knife, which caused a wound, was stuck into bacon afterwards, it was supposed to prevent infection. bagel (BAY-guhl) – Bagel derives from the Yiddish word beygl, which comes from the German word beugel meaning a “bracelet.” Bagels are bread rolls in the shape of a doughnut or an old-fashioned curtain ring. The brown crust is obtained on the rolls by first boiling them in water and then baking them in an oven.

History: According to legend, the world’s first bagel was produced in 1683 as a tribute to Jan Sobieski, King of Poland. The king, a renowned horseman, had just saved the people of Austria from an onslaught by Turkish invaders. In gratitude, a local baker shaped yeast dough into the shape of stirrup to honor him and called it the Austrian word for stirrup, “beugel.” The roll soon became a hit throughout Eastern Europe. Over time, its shape evolved into a circle with a hole in the center and its named was converted to its modern form, bagel. In the 1880s, hundreds of thousands of Eastern European Jews immigrated to America, bringing with them a love for bagels. In 1927, Polish baker Harry Lender opened the first bagel plant outside New York City in New Haven, Conn. The bagel’s popularity began to spread in the United States. bagna cauda (BAHN-yah KOW-dah) – Bagna Cauda is an Italian term that means “hot Bath.” It is like a Swiss fondue except that it has a much more boisterous flavor.

The original recipe called for walnut oil, but olive oil is now used and is considered the key to a successful sauce. The sauce is made up of anchovy fillets, olive oil, garlic, cream, butter, and vinegar. baguette(bag-EHT) – Is French for a “rod,” “wand,” or “stick.” Baguette is the name for anything long and skinny, including drumsticks, strips of wood, etc. The baguette is generally known as a French white bread due to its popularity in that country. Baguettes are formed into a long, narrow, cylindrical loaf. It usually has a thin, crisp brown crust and an open-holed, chewy interior. History: The shape for which it is famous was developed by an Austrian baker and brought to France in the middle of the nineteenth century. At first French bread was all shaped round, but when bakers realized that their crusts were so tasty, they gave the bread more crust by making them long. bain-marie (bahn mah-REE) – (1) A hot water bath that is used to keep food warm on the top of a stove.

It is also to cook custards and baked eggs in the oven without curdling or cracking and also used to hold sauces and to clarify butter. (2) The term is also used for a cooking utensil, which is a fairly large pan (or tray) which is partly filled with water. The food to be cooked is placed in another container in order that the food is not cooked too quickly or harshly. History: Most authorities think that it was named after Maria Prophetissa. Maria Prophetissa was also known as “Miriam,” “Maria the Jewess” or simply “Maria” and lived during the first century A.D. She is called The Jewess because Zosimos, Egyptian alchemist and historian, called her a Sister of Moses. It is held that Mary Magdalene and the noted first century alchemical author known as Mary the Jewess was one and the same individual. Whoever she was, Mary the Jewess was an accomplished practical alchemist and the inventor of a series of technical devices still in use today, such as the hot ash box for steady heat, the dung box for prolonged heat and the double boiler, still called the “bain-marie” in French and Marienbad in German.

Although no complete works by her have been found, enough fragments exist to establish her as a historical fact. Yet her personal information, even her birthplace, remains a mystery. bake blind – It is the technique used for baking an unfilled pastry shell. The pastry shell is first pricked with a fork to prevent puffing, covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and then weighted with rice or beans. It is then baked for a short period of time, about 10 to 15 minutes. Baked Alaska – A dessert that consists of a sponge cake that is covered with ice cream, then with a layer of stiffly beaten egg whites, and lastly put in a hot oven to be browned. Also known as omelette la norvienne, Norwegian omelette, omelette surprise, and glace au four. Baked Apple a la Josephine – The soaked, pruned apples are boiled for 15 minutes. Boiled milk is mixed with rice, salt and sugar are added, and then it is cooled down and divided into four portions. The cores of the apples are removed and are covered with butter and sprinkled with sugar.

They are placed in a pre-warmed oven and baked for 20 minutes. The apples are served in the middle of the rice pudding, sprinkled with sugar, and toppled with raspberry syrup. bakers’ ammonia (ammonium carbonate) – It is also called hartshorn. It is an ammonia compound and not harmful after baking. However, do not eat the raw dough. Your kitchen will stink of ammonia while the cookies bake – but once baked, the cookies will not taste of it. Can be substituted for equal amount of baking powder in any cookies recipe. It is an old-time leavening favored for cookies, such as German Springerle. It is said to give a “fluffiness” of texture baking powder can’t. Its leavening is only activated by heat, not moisture (such as baking powder). bake stone – A bake stone is a flat, round iron plate, usually with an attached semicircular iron loop, which allows it to be hung over a fire from a crane. It can also be set down directly on hot embers. Before baking ovens, and even after them, this was a common utensil for baking simple quick breads.

baker’s dozen – The “baker’s dozen” refers to providing 13 baked items for the price of 12. This originated as a way to avoid shortchanging the customer. Bakers who shorted (cheated) customers could be punished severely-such as losing a hand to an axe! This allowed that one of the 13 could be lost, eaten, burnt, or ruined in some way, leaving the baker with the original legal dozen. The practice can be seen in the Baker Guild codes of the Worshipful Company of Bakers in London, 12th century. Baker’s Scale – Baker’s scales are scales used by bakers to measure ingredients by weight, not volume. That is how the master bakers and chefs of the world get great results every time. They are also called Dough Scales. A Baker’s Scale or Kitchen Scale should be an essential tool in every kitchen. Most American kitchens have a set of measuring cups, but do not have a kitchen scale. A scale is more accurate in baking than using measuring cups baking powder – It is a leavener that consists of a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, and a moisture absorber (like cornstarch).

It has the action of yeast but it acts much more quickly. It is used in batters where there is no acid present. Baking powder acts immediately upon addition of water, therefore a filler (usually cornstarch) is added to absorb the moisture and prevent premature activity. Various baking powders were sold in the first half of the 19th century. Check out the History of Baking Powder . baking soda – Baking soda, which is the alkaline element bicarbonate of soda, is used solely as a chemical leavener in baking. Because it is not premixed with an acid, as is baking powder, it is used alone in baked goods where other ingredients, which also contain acid, are present (yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, or sour cream). When the baking soda and acid are combined, they neutralize each other, causing carbon dioxide gas bubbles to form. The bubbles make the dough or batter grow bigger, or rise. Baking soda is more volatile than baking powder because it begins to act the minute you moisten it with the wet ingredients. You must put whatever you are baking right in the oven once the baking soda has been activated. See also bicarbonate of soda.

History: Baking soda was previously known as saleratus, a combination of the Latin “sal” (salt) and “aeratus” (aerated). John Dwight of Massachusetts and his brother-in-law, Dr. James A. Church of Connecticut, started the manufacture of bicarbonate of soda in this country in 1846. The first factory was in the kitchen of his home with baking soda put in paper bags by hand. A year later, in 1847, the firm of John Dwight and Company was formed, and subsequently Cow Brand was adopted as a trademark for Dwight’s Saleratus (aerated salt) as it was called. The standard package at that time weighed one pound. The cow was adopted as a trademark because of the use of sour milk with saleratus in baking. In 1867, James A. Church began marketing sodium bicarbonate as baking soda under the Arm & Hammer label. He formed a partnership known as Church & Company, doing business under that firm name with his sons James A. Church and E. Dwight Church. baking stone – Also referred to as a pizza stone.

Unglazed ceramic, clay, or stone tiles that allows for high temperature and dry heat, which is necessary for crisp crusts when making breads and pizzas. A stone can be placed in the oven (and kept there when not in use) where it retains heat and makes an ideal surface for baking breads. A baking stone is invaluable for getting the “perfect” crust and it can also help your oven to run more efficiently because of its heat retaining properties. They should only be washed with clear, plain water, as these stones are actually molded sand, which is tightly compacted under high pressure. Like sand on the beach, they will suck in any liquid exposed to the surface. baklava (BAHK-lah-vah) – A popular middle eastern (especially Greece and Turkey) pastry that is made with buttered layers of phyllo dough. How it is traditionally made depends on the region. In some areas, it is made with walnuts; in other areas, it is made with pistachios or almonds. Sometimes dried fruit is added between the layers. Baklava consists of 30 or more sheets of phyllo dough brushed with lots of butter, and layered with finely chopped nuts.

After baking, a syrup of honey, rose water and lemon juice (sometimes spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, etc) is poured over the pastry and allowed to soak in. This dessert is known as baglawa in Syrian and Lebanese. History: Most historians agree that the first people, the Assyrians, in the 8th century B.C. were the first to put together thin layers of bread dough, with chopped nuts in between those layers, added some honey and baked it in their primitive wood burning ovens. This earliest known version of baklava was baked only on special occasions. Baklava was considered a food for the rich until mid-19th century. In Turkey the sheets of pastry for baklava are rolled out so thinly that when held up the person standing behind can be seen as if through a net curtain. In Turkey, to this day one can hear a common expression often used by the poor, or even by the middle class, saying: “I am not rich enough to eat baklava and boerek every day”. The Greek seamen and merchants traveling east to Mesopotamia soon discovered the delights of Baklava and brought the recipe to Athens.

The Greeks’ major contribution to the development of this pastry is the creation of a dough technique that made it possible to roll it as thin as a leaf, compared to the rough, bread-like texture of the Assyrian dough. Phyllo means “layer” or “leaf” in the Greek language. The Armenians, located on ancient Spice and Silk Routes, integrated for the cinnamon and cloves into the baklava. The Arabs introduced the rose water and cardamom. The taste changed in subtle nuances as the recipe started crossing borders. balsamic vinegar – Balsamic vinegar is an aged reduction of white sweet grapes (Trebbiano for red and Spergola for white sauvignon) that are boiled to syrup. The grapes are cooked very slowly in copper cauldrons over an open flame until the water content is reduced by over 50%. The resulting “grape must” is placed into wooden barrels where older balsamic vinegar is added to assist in the acetification. Each year the vinegar is transferred to different wood barrels so that the vinegar can obtain some of the flavors of the different woods. The only approved woods are oak, cherry, chestnut, mulberry, cacia, juniper, and ash.

Balsamic vinegar can only be produced in the regions of Modena and Reggio in Italy. History: The first historical reference to balsamic vinegar dates back to 1046, when a bottle of balsamic vinegar was reportedly given to Emperor Enrico III of Franconia as a gift. In the middle Ages, it was used as a disinfectant. Check out Linda’s article on Balsamic Vinegar . balti – Balti is an Indian dish, which may have originated in Northwest Pakistan. It is a form of a meat curry, but one that’s cooked quickly (like a stir-fry. The spice mix used to flavor the dish is a combination of seeds (coriander, cardamom, cumin, black mustard, fennel, wild onion, and fenugreek). It can be made as either a masala paste or used dry. History: The name comes from the cast-iron pot “balti,” in which it was originally both made and served. Now the term “balti” seems to refer to the food, and the pot is called a “karahi.” In some parts of the world, the dish is also called karai, or karah.

bamboo shoot – Young shoots of the bamboo plant. The shoots grown from an underground stock, and they are cut soon after their appearance above the ground. The outer sheaths are removed and the shoots are prepared for the table much in the same manner as asparagus. They are used a lot in Chinese and Japanese cooking. banana – Bananas are not grown on trees. They are part of the lily family, a cousin of the orchid, and a member of the herb family. With stalks 25 feet high, they are the largest plant on earth without a woody stem. The banana is harvested green, even for local consumption. It is the one fruit, which if left to ripen on the plant, never develops its best flavor. After they are picked, the sugar content increases from 2% to 20%. History: The banana was probably one of the first plants to be cultivated. The earliest historical reference to the fruit was 327 B.C., when Alexander the Great found them flourishing in India. Traders in the Indian Ocean carried the banana to the eastern coast of Africa, and Chinese traders introduced the banana to the Polynesians before the second century A.D.

During Alexander the Great’s life, bananas were called pala in Athens. North America got its first taste of the tropical fruit in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Each banana was wrapped in foil and sold for 10 cents. Bananas Foster – A dish made of bananas and rum, flamed and served over vanilla ice cream. History: The original Banana Foster was created in the New Orleans restaurant called Brennan’s in the old French Quarter. In the 1950’s, New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America. Owen Edward Brennan challenged his talented chef, Paul Blang to include bananas in a new culinary creation – Owen’s way of promoting the imported fruit. Simultaneously, Holiday Magazine had asked Owen to provide a new recipe to appear in a feature article on Brennan’s. In 1951, Chef Paul created Bananas Foster. The scrumptious dessert was named for Richard Foster, who, as chairman, served with Owen on the New Orleans Crime Commission, a civic effort to clean up the French Quarter. Richard Foster, owner of the Foster Awning Company, was a frequent customer of Brennan’s and a very good friend of Owen.

barbecue – There are several theories on where or how the word “barbecue” originated. (1) One is that it is a derivative of the West Indian term barbacoa, which denotes a method of slow-cooking meat over hot coals. (2) It is also thought that the word barbecue comes from the French phrase “barbe a queue,” meaning “from heat to tail.” (3) Another theory is that the word comes from a 19th century advertisement for a combination whiskey bar, beer, hall, pool establishment and purveyor of roast pig, known as the “Bar-Beer-Cue-Pig”. (4) The final explanation is that the method of roasting meat over powdery coals was picked up from indigenous peoples in the colonial period, and the word barbacoa became barbecue in the lexicon of early settlers. Barbecuing is a long, slow, indirect, low-heat method that uses smoldering logs, charcoal, or wood chunks to smoke-cook the food (usually some kind of meat). “Indirect” meant that the heat source is located away from the food to be cooked. “Barbecuing” and “grilling” are two different techniques.

History: The earliest example of barbecue is in 1661, when it is used as a verb meaning ‘to cook on a barbecue’. Other early senses include ‘the wooden framework for supporting food’; ‘a whole animal, or a piece of an animal, roasted on a barbecue’; and ‘a social gathering at which food is cooked on a barbecue’. Barbecuing is primarily a New World phenomenon, originating in the Caribbean and then spreading to the United Sates (the American South in particular). In the Southern United States, barbecue is considered a cherished cultural icon. In other areas of America, the word barbecue is a verb (Northerners barbecue food on the backyard grill). In the South, barbecue is most definitely a noun (a barbecue is a gathering of food aficionados who appreciate the aroma of roasted meant that has been painstakingly smoked for several hours) During the colonial period, the practice of holding a neighborhood barbecue was well established, but it was in the fifty years before the Civil War that the traditions associated with large barbecues became entrenched. Plantation owners regularly held large and festive barbecues, including “pig pickin’s” for slaves.

In the 19th century, barbecue was a feature at church picnic and political rallies as well as at private parties. A barbecue was a popular and relatively inexpensive way to lobby for votes, and the organizers of political rallies would provide barbecue, lemonade, and usually a bit of whiskey. Unlike most food preparation in the South, which is dominated by women, barbecue is a male preserve. In 1951, George Stephen of Palatine, Illinois invented the kettle grill and revolutionized the art of outdoor cookery throughout the US. bard – Refers to the practice of surrounding or enveloping meat with pork fat. The fat keeps the meat moist while it cooks. barley – Barley, as a food, is most commonly identified as pearl barley, which is traditionally used in soups and stews. In the last few years, we have become more creative with barley and have used it in summer salads, casseroles, and side dishes. Barley is also used as a commercial ingredient in prepared foods such as breakfast cereals, soups, pilaf mixes, breads, cookies, crackers, and snack bars. Today it is the world’s fourth largest cereal crop.

History: Barley has held a prominent and long-standing place in the history of food, being the world’s oldest grain, and has been cultivated for about 8,000 years. Babylonians brewed beer from barley around 2500 B.C. Both the ancient Greeks and Hebrews made use of barley in porridge and bread. Barley remained an important bread grain in Europe until the 1500s when wheat breads became popular. Bartlett pear – History: The Bartlett pear variety originated in Berkshire, England, in the 17th century, by a schoolmaster named John Stair. Stair sold some of his pear tree cuttings to a horticulturist named Williams, who further developed the variety and renamed it after himself. After pear seedlings crossed the Atlantic with the early colonists, the Williams pear found fame and fortune in 1812 under the tutelage of nurseryman, Enoch Bartlett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Bartlett, unaware of the pear’s true name, distributed it under his own name.

Ever since, the pear has been known as the Bartlett in the United States, but is still referred to as the Williams pear in other parts of the world. Bartlett pear trees eventually came out West in the covered wagons of the 49ers heading for the Great California Gold Rush. base – Base is a soup reduction paste similar to bouillon, but richer, more flavorful, and less salty. You can find it in the soup section of the super market. It comes in a jar and must be refrigerated after opening. baste – To spoon, brush or pour drippings or liquid over a food before or during cooking in order to prevent drying, to add flavor, or to glaze it. batter – The name of many semi-liquid, floury mixtures of flour, water or milk (or both) or some other liquid. It also usually includes sugar and eggs. Batters may be thin or thick (but even when thick, they must be fluid enough to drop from a spoon). When thin, they should pour out like creamy milk. sponge – A batter to which yeast is added. This batter is so stiff that it does not drop from a spoon, but can be handled.

Basil – Basil – Learn about basil, how to store it, and preserve it. History: The ancient Greeks believed that only the king should be allowed to cut the basil plants, and he must use a sickle made of pure gold. Bavarian cream – It is a molded cream that is made from custard sauce or sweetened fruit puree that is bound with gelatin and lightened with whipped cream. Bavarian cream can be served on its own or used as a filling for cold charlottes or molded cakes. History: Check out History of Cakes . biscotti (bee-SKAWT-tee) – In Italian, biscotti means, “twice cooked.” The word biscotto is derived from bis (twice) and cotto (cooked). Biscotti is also the generic term for cookies in Italian. The dough is formed into logs and baked until golden brown. The logs are then sliced, and the individual biscotti are baked again to give them their characteristic dryness. The shelf life of biscotti are three to four months without preservatives or additives. Other countries have their version of this cookie – Dutch rusk, French biscotte, and the German zwieback.

History: Early Seaman’s biscuits, also known as hard tack, probably were the first version of biscotti. They were the perfect food for sailors who were at sea for months at a time on long ocean voyages. The biscuits were thoroughly baked to draw out the moisture, becoming a cracker-like food that that was resistant to mold. Biscotti were a favorite of Christopher Columbus who relied on them on his long sea voyage in the 15th century. Historians believe that the first Italian biscotti were first baked in 13th century Tuscany in the in a city called Prato. biscuit (BISH-kiht) – In England, it is the equivalent of U.S. cookies (small, sweet cakes). In the U.S., a type of non-yeast bread made of flour, milk, and shortening, usually served with breakfast – small, and similar to what much of the world refers to as “scones.” bisque (bisk) – A bisque is a thick, rich, creamy sauce in the form of a puree.

Bisque in French means a “shellfish soup.” The word is a corruption of “biscuit,” as the soup was cooked twice to thicken it. Bisques in the 18th century were made of poultry and game, not with shellfish as they usually are today. bistro (BEES-troh) – (1) In France, a bistro used to be a bar that also sold wine. S ometimes, they would have one or two tables and the wife of the owner would have made a dish she would sell. Today a bistro is a small neighborhood restaurant with a comforting, predictable menu and reliable daily specials. It functions as a home away from home for many people, drawn by the familiar atmosphere, honest food and consistent prices. (2) Bistro also means a style of cooing (simple home cooking – it is similar to old-fashioned American food). It is a return to the era before fast food, before speed and convenience became more important than flavor and quality, but not quite to the complexity of old school French cooking. Black pudding – Called “Marag” (Blood Pudding) in Gaelic (it also means a fat, shapeless person!).

This is one of the famous blood dishes that Scottish people love. It usually accompanies other fried dishes, such as bacon and eggs. While it might seem shocking to eat blood, do not forget that all meat dishes contain blood and it’s the basis, with fat, of gravy. Blood dishes are popular all over Europe, especially in Transylvania. blackened – A cooking technique where meat or fish is usually seasoned with a Cajun spice mixture and then cooked in a cast-iron skillet that has been heated almost red-hot. This technique gives the food an extra crispy crust and sears in the juices. It is also guaranteed to set off your smoke detector–unless the battery is dead! Blackened Redfish – A dish made by searing seasoned redfish fillets in a smoking hot skillet (usually a cast-iron skillet). History: This cooking technique and popular fish dish was introduced by Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme, causing a worldwide culinary phenomenon in the early to mid-1980s. As the dish’s fame grew in the late 1980s, stiff limits had to be placed on redfish catches to prevent the disappearance of the species from Gulf Coast waters.

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s non-traditional “blackened redfish” dish sparked a worldwide Cajun food craze which inspired creative chefs to start “blackening” everything from chicken to veal in order to continue to cash in on the craze. blanch, blanching – (1) To briefly plunge food into boiling water and then into cold water to stop cooking. (2) Blanching allows you to cook vegetables completely, then cool them quickly for use in dishes like salad, soup, stew, and pasta. Blanching is used to loosen skins of fruits and vegetables or to prepare them for more cooking by another method. (3) To scald shelled nuts until the thin outer skins are sufficiently loosened to remove easily. Brazil nut – Although referred to, as nuts these are actually the seed of a South American tree that grows in the Amazon jungle. The tree yields 3 to 4 pound pods with thick shells that must be broken open with a machete. Inside are 12 to 20 three-sided Brazil nuts. Their extremely hard shells are dark brown and triangular in shape and can be very hard to break. The kernel is white and has a rich flavor.

bread – Bread is the name given to the oldest, commonest, and cheapest form of human food. Bread is made of the flour or meal of one or more kinds of cereals, which can be obtained from some grasses, seeds, and root stocks other than cereals. History: Grain cultivation most likely began around 10,000 B.C, and bread was baked on hot stones into loaves of flatbread. Evidence of ovens was found dating back as far as 25,000 B.C. in the Ukraine. Historians think that the first combination of bread ingredients and yeast happened by accident. Probably when an alcoholic drink or fermented honey was accidentally added to flatbread dough. This more likely happened in a brewery in ancient Egypt where archaeologists have found ruins and drawings of bakeries and breweries. The Egyptians had supplies of mead, beer, and primitive wines. By the third century B.C., Romans had created ovens made from dried and hardened mud, and by 200 B.C. there were more than 200 bakeries in Rome. Roman Emperor Trajan (98-117 A.D.) founded the first bakers’ school in Rome.

Once a man became a baker, he was not allowed to change work. They taught their sons the trade, passing baking secrets down from generation to generation. There are many stories of wars being won or lost and favors being granted by the barter of freshly baked bread. French soldiers demanded white bread to give them courage, and Greek women were said to have tucked a piece of bread into their husbands’ clothing as he went off to war. Bakers in local communities celebrated political victories or “saved a country” by introducing a specific shape or type of bread. breadfruit – Although it is a fruit, it’s light yellow flesh has the starchy consistency of unripe potatoes, which makes it seem more like a vegetable weighing between two to five pounds. As the breadfruit ripens it softens to about the consistency of a mango but without the sweetness. The reason for the name “breadfruit” is that when eaten before it is ripe, breadfruit not only feels like fresh bread, but also tastes like it. Not only are breadfruit trees in the Pacific prized for their fruits but their wood is also highly valuable. In Hawaii, the wood of breadfruit trees was made into fine quality canoes, drums, and surfboards.

In Guam and Samoa, the bark was used for making tapa cloth. A starchy staple of the Caribbean and Pacific islands, breadfruit is fried, baked, boiled, and sometimes mixed with coconut milk to make a pudding. It is used like a potato – in stews, whipped, and diced, and in a salad resembling potato salad. History: Probably native to the Malay Archipelago, breadfruit either drifted on the sea or was carried by early peoples to the Pacific Islands well before written history. The plant has been cultivated there for thousands of years. Breadfruits were traditionally baked with hot stones in pits dug into the ground. The wood of the trees—which grew as high as 60 feet—was also used for canoes, and the bark was made into cloth on Guam and the islands of Samoa. In Hawaii the wood was prized for making drums and surfboards. In the 1700’s the British began to establish breadfruit crops in the West Indies, as a staple with which to feed the African slaves who worked the huge sugar plantations. During his voyage to Tahiti in 1769, Captain James Cook was introduced to breadfruit when he brought it back to England.

King George III was convinced of the necessity of transporting breadfruit from the Pacific to the Caribbean and in 1787 Captain Bligh and his ship HMS Bounty was sent to Tahiti with the mission of delivering the breadfruit trees to the Caribbean. Records indicate that 347 breadfruit trees arrived on the HMS Providence on the fifth of February 1793, and were distributed throughout the island. bread pudding – A pudding that dates back to earlier times. It originated as a way to use stale bread and avoid throwing it away. brie cheese (bree) – One of the most popular of imported cheeses, brie has been called the “king of all cheeses.” This cheese is made from whole, skim, or partially skim cow’s milk (the quality varies with the kind of milk used). It is described as creamy, smooth, and very delicate. The natural white rind of the brie cheese is edible; so do not discard it when serving brie as an appetizer. History: Brie cheese originated in France centuries ago. It is named after La Brie, the province in northern France where it was first made. brine – Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food moist and tender.

Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat resulting in a moister product when it is cooked. One of the great things about brining is that there are so few rules. Most brines start with water and salt — traditionally, 3/4 pound of salt per gallon of water, but since we’re not concerned with the brine as a preservative, you can cut back on the salt. Check out Guidelines for Brining Poultry . broaster, broasted, and broasting – Broaster and broasted are registered trademarks of the Broaster Co. in Beloit, Wisc. that has been broasting chickens since 1954. It is a registered process that builds pressure in the pot, which seals in the natural juices while sealing out almost 100% of the cooking oil. It is not only the process of frying chickens under pressure, but includes a special marinating process. The Broasters and the seasonings are sold only to restaurants and the food trade, so Broasted chicken is available to you only when you dine out. broccoli – It is a member of the Cruciferae family and is a relative of cabbage, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.

It has tight clusters of tiny buds that sit on stout, edible stems. It is available year-round. The word broccoli comes from the Italian word “brocco” meaning “arm branch.” History: Broccoli has been around for more than 2000 years. During the 16th century, the plant was grown in France and Italy. Little was known about broccoli in the United States until the 1920s, when the first commercially grown broccoli was grown in Brooklyn, New York. In 1923, broccoli was first planted in California. broccolini – A new hybrid vegetable that is sure to make a statement at your dinner table. Technically a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale, this vegetable looks more like a broccoli-asparagus mix. Broccolini comes in bunches of 17-20 stalks and has a shelf life of 2 weeks in the refrigerator from date of purchase. Broccolini is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and potassium, and has no fat. It can be cooked and eaten the same as broccoli: blanched, steamed, sauteed, poached, roasted, fried or grilled.

It is 100% edible, so there’s no need to remove any of the stems, making a wonderful presentation on the plate with its long slender stems. broccoli rabe – Also known as rapini, broccoli raab, broccoletti di rape, and broccoletto. It is related to the turnip and cabbage families and has very little resemblance to broccoli. It has a thin, leafy, dark green stock with few buds, and has a pungent-bitter flavor. It gives a lift to bland foods and a nice accent to spicy foods. If served alone, blanch in salt water before further cooking to remove some of the bitterness. When choosing broccoli rabe, it should be firm with small stems and few buds. It is best to keep it wrapped and in the vegetable crisper for no more than five days. Broccoli rabe is available all year, but it most plentiful from spring to late fall. It is a great source of vitamins A, C and K, and a good source of potassium and folic acid. brochette – (1) Small portions of meat, chicken liver, or seafood that is coe on a skewer (usually sauteed or grilled).

Food cooked “en brochette” is cooked on a skewer. Also known as kabob, a la broche, or shish ka bob. It is derived from the word “broche,” meaning, “pointed tool.” (2) Brochette is also used by confectioners to thread fruit in before candying them. broil, broiling – In this method of cooking, the heat source is above the food. In home cooking, an oven is often used for broiling by setting it so that only the top element comes on. Broiling is a high-heat method of cooking in which food is placed on a rack below, and the speed with which it cooks depends on how far away it is from the element. As with grilling, food has to be watched carefully, so it does not overcook. broth – Broth is a flavorful liquid resulting from the long simmering of meat, vegetables, poultry or fish. The French call if “bouillon.” Also know as “stock.” brownie, brownies – A chocolate bar cookie. The name comes from the deep-brown color of the cookie.

History: The origins of the chocolate brownies is uncertain but it is felt that it was probably created by accident, the result of a forgetful cook neglecting to add baking powder to chocolate cake batter.Sears, Roebuck catalog in 1897 published the first known recipe for the brownies, and it quickly became very popular (so popular that a brownie mix was even sold in the catalog). brunch – A combination of the words for breakfast and lunch, and which is neither breakfast nor lunch, which combines some of the features of both and is served mid-morning. History: Brunch first appeared in England at the end of the 19th century. In August 1896, the word appeared in the magazine called Punch. The magazine reported on a company breakfast by Mr. Guy Beringer of the defunct Hunter’s Weekly about a combined breakfast and lunch that was served after guests returned home from a morning of hunting. The article went on to say “To be fashionable nowadays, we much brunch.” It was not until the 1930s in the United States that the idea of brunch became popular in restaurants and hotels.

Customers became know as “pilers.” brunoise (broo-NWAHZ) – It is a French word used to describe a mixture of vegetables, usually onion, celery, and carrot, which has been very finely diced, then cooked slowly in butter. This classic mixture is used as a base to flavor soups, stews and sauces. Brunswick stew – This famous stew was originally a game stew and not a domestic meat stew as it is today. History: According to one story, it began as a squirrel stew created by “Uncle” Jimmy Matthews and named after Brunswick County, Virginia (which was named for Braunschweig in Germany). In 1828, Dr. Creed Haskins, a member of the Virginia state legislature, wanted something special for a political rally he was sponsoring. He persuaded Matthews to part with his recipe. The stew remained, for many years, one of the main attractions at political rallies conducted by both the Whigs and the Democrats. Gradually more vegetables were added and chicken replaced squirrel as the major ingredient. Virginians insist that the dish was invented in Brunswick County, VA.

A county of the same name in North Carolina and some citizens of Brunswick, GA., also lay claim to have originated the stew. bruschetta (broo-SKEH-tah) – Traditional Italian garlic bread. Grilled slices of bread are brushed with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. brussels sprouts – They are the buds of a cultivated variety of the common cabbage plant. In appearance, brussel sprouts resemble miniature cabbages, but have a much stronger flavor than their larger cousins. History: They were cultivated as food in Belgium as early as the 13th century. History: Learn more about History and Legends of Cobbler, Crisps, Crumble, Brown Betty, Buckle, Grunts, Slumps, Bird’s Nest Pudding, Sonker, & Pandowdy Buffalo Chicken Wings – They are deep-fried chicken wing serve with a hot sauce, celery stalks, and blue cheese dressing. Because the residents of Buffalo are so enamored with these chicken wings, the city of Buffalo, New York has declared July 19th as the “Official Chicken Wing Day.” The city’s proclamation noted that, because of Mrs.

Bellissimo’s kitchen, “thousands of chicken wings are consumed by buffalonians in restaurants and taverns throughout the city each week.” History: This famous chicken wings were created a the Frank & Teressa’s Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York on October 30 1962, by owner Teressa Bellissimo. According to the story by the restaurant, her son, Dom Bellissimo, asked Teressa Bellissimo to fix something for his group of hungry friends. To make a long story short, as she was about to put them in the stockpot for soup, she looked at them and said, “It’s a shame to put such beautiful wings in a stock pot.” So she battered and then deep-fried the chicken wings. The rest is history! bulgogi – Bulgogi is marinated strips of beef cooked over charcoal on a grill. It is the best known and most popular of all Korean foods. Beef is most often identified with bulgogi, but even pork, chicken, lamb, squid, and octopus can be cooked bulgogi style. Foreigners consider it the national dish of Korea.

It is often prepared at the table on small grills and accompanied by kimchi, a spicy pickled cabbage. In Korean, the word bul means “fire” and gogi means “meat.” The word is commonly translated as Korean barbecue, thought it literally means “fire meat.”

Question: What breakfast food gets its name from the German word for "stirrup"?
Answer: The Bagel